Amazonas state governor announces that Amazonia...

Amazonas state governor announces that Amazonia Arena will be delivered on 20 December

22/08/2013 - 10:58

A delegation from FIFA, LOC and federal government visited the building site and handed over symbolic World Cup tickets to the 2,100 workers

Photos: Danilo Borges/World Cup Portal

The delivery date of the Amazonia Arena, in Manaus (capital of the state of Amazonas, Brazil’s north region), has been set for the 20 December 2013. The information was announced by the Amazonas state governor Omar Aziz during the visit of the federal government, FIFA and Local Organising Committee (LOC) to the stadium this Tuesday (20.08).

The first match is expected to be held there in January 2014, with local derby between Rio Negro and Nacional, and when it comes to filling the stands, priority will be given to the 2,100 builders who helped build the stadium. “In the first fortnight of January 2014 we'll hold the first match at the new ground, a Rio-Nal (as the local derby is referred to)”, stated the governor.

The workers will also receive tickets from FIFA for one of the four 2014 World Cup matches to be played in Manaus.

After visiting the building site and looking at the pitch, which is having the drainage system installed currently, the Minister of Sport Aldo Rebelo praised the project, which has an Indian-basket shaped roof as part of the design. “I’d like to congratulate the workers who will deliver this great monument to Brazil. It’s more than a stadium, from the engineering and architecture point of view it’s a reason to be proud ", said the minister. FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valcke, LOC CEO Ricardo Trade, former footballers Bebeto and Ronaldo, as well as Manaus acting mayor Hissa Abrahão also took part in the visit.

Progress of construction worksAccording to this week's follow-up construction report, 77.82% of construction works at the Amazonia Arena have been finished. From the beginning of July until now, an extra 12% of the project has been finished. Thirty per cent of the metal structure of the façade and roof has been finished, and it should be finished by the end of October.

The X-shaped structure will be made up of 72 modules and coated by a PTFE membrane, made out of teflon fibreglass. The last metal pieces have been shipped from Portugal, where they were manufactured and arrive at the building site at the end of the month. The first part of the membrane, produced in Germany, has already arrived in Manaus. The rest will arrive by the end of October. Ground levelling services, as well as for assembling the access ramps on the east sector are progressing steadily. Soon, the foundation for the floor around the stadium will start being put in.

Other areas are also working steadily, such as the drilling of the stands so the seats may be screwed in, electrical and hydraulic installations, as well as the IT and air conditioning system, in addition to the finishing work being done to the lavatories and the level boxes 1 in the south and east sectors.